When you score a big hit early in your career it puts you in the difficult position of having to follow it up.

I have never produced a top-selling album and neither has the Peugeot motor company, but it did make the 205 GTi in 1984.

Volkswagen invented the GTi with its Golf in 1979 but it was Peugeot that built the one that petrolheads fell in love with.

The first 205 GTi was a 1.6 with just over 100bhp but that was followed by a 1.9-litre engine model that had 130bhp.

Doesn’t sound like much today, but the 205 was seriously light. It had amazing handling, too, almost as tricky as an old 911 if you suddenly lost your bottle in a corner.

Peugeot has never quite managed to follow up its original GTi. The little 106 GTi was a great little car and the 306 GTi was a corker.

However, ­enthusiasts weren’t so impressed with the 206 GTi or the 207 GT that followed it.

Now Peugeot is having another go with a GTi version of its new 208. And it certainly looks the part from the photographs.

Looks the part: New Peugeot 208 GTi

You’ll be able to spot the 208 GTi from its wider front (extended by 10mm) and rear track (extra 20mm) and from its bespoke gloss black grille, sills and wheel arch extensions and LED driving and indicator lights.

Inside, 205 GTi owners will spot the red-coloured highlights as a nod to the old car’s same-coloured detailing.

On the door sills are brushed aluminium plates with Peugeot written on them. But back to what really counts: the ­mechanical bits.

As well as specially developed spring and dampers, the GTi has a strengthened front subframe, stiffer front ­anti-roll bar and a more rigid rear cross member.

The brakes are 302mm discs at the front and 249mm at the back that sit inside 17in diamond-cut wheels. Peugeot says that the engineers have also re-programmed the electric power steering to give better feedback.

Under the bonnet of the new GTi is Peugeot’s familiar 1.6 turbo motor that’s also used in the RCZ coupe. Like in that car, the GTi’s motor produces 200bhp.

The official 0-62mph time is just under 7.0sec.

The car is fitted with a six-speed manual gearbox with close ratios that result in a 50-75mph overtaking sprint in 7.0sec in fifth gear – which is a lot more relevant than how quickly it will burn away from the traffic lights.

The new 208 GTi will go on sale early next year. Peugeot hasn’t released prices yet but you can expect them to be under £20,000.